While riding a horse considerable amounts of energy or shock are transferred between the rider and the horse as a result of the repetitious upward and downward motion of the horse. Even greater amounts of energy are transferred between the rider and the horse when the horse undertakes such actions as jumping, turning, accelerating, decelerating, and the like. As a result of these transfers of energy the horses's muscular and skeletal systems undergo considerable strains. More particularly, these strains are known to manifest themselves in the form of chronic back pain. It is estimated that 80 percent of the performance type horses have some form of chronic back pain. Riders also are known to suffer from chronic back pain, coccygeal (tailbone) pain and pain in the gluteus maximus (buttocks).
The present invention, in an attempt to minimize the shock or energy transfer and its accompanying ill effects, provides an improved energy absorbing saddle pad for use on a horse or any other beast of burden.